2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Dominates Nürburgring Track

Talk about cool. The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 is back and in full force. The ponycar recently hit Nürburgring and ran an impressive 7:37.47. The track in Europe is considered to be the most demanding and difficult purpose-built racetrack in the world. The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28’s best lap time beat-out the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (which boasts a lap time of 7:41:27) and came close to the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (which ran a 7:19:63). If that isn’t enough, the Chevy-powered Camaro is officially faster than the Porsche Carrera S and Lamborghini Murcielago LP640.

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"One of the challenges of testing at the 'Ring is that the track is so long that conditions can change radically in a single lap," Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer, said. "Adam Dean, the development driver for Z/28, did a heroic job driving in deteriorating conditions. Based on telemetry data from our test sessions, we know the Z/28 can be as much as six seconds faster on a dry track."

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As you may remember from our March story, the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 is equipped with an LS7 427ci small-block pumping out 505hp. The LS7 engine is no slouch either and will rely on a number of high-performance components, including a 10.5 dry-sump oiling system which helps lubricate the forged crankshaft and all the necessary components up to its almost unheard of 7,000 rpm redline. Controlling the fuel and air is a high-lift camshaft and a set of CNC-ported aluminum cylinders which are stuffed with ultra-light titanium intake valves, and sodium-filled exhaust valves which breathe through a set of hydroformed exhaust headers.

"We set out to make the fastest road-racing Camaro possible that was still street-legal," Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer, said in a release for the new Z/28. "While the Camaro ZL1 offers exceptional performance on the street, the drag strip, and the track, the Z/28 is entirely focused on the track performance. The Z/28 will be too track-focused for most drivers, but offers road-racers one of the most capable track cars ever."

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Three key features make the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 faster than its predecessor, the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: better grip due to chassis revisions; increased braking due to Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes; and a lighter overall vehicle, due to changes ranging from lightweight wheels to thinner rear-window glass.

Watching the above video, it’s clear the all-new Camaro Z/28 is definitely meant for the racetrack. Reaching speeds of 161mph in Nürburgring, achieving a lap time better than most exotic cars, and doing both while raining, certainly makes this car worthy of the Z/28 nameplate. Who wouldn’t want to own/drive one of these beasts? Heck, just crank up the sound on your device and watch the video for yourself – that doesn’t sound like any normal Camaro, it sounds like a car not to be messed with!